Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Medellin Cost of Living Comparison Between Rawalpindi and Medellin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $431 per month in Rawalpindi vs $1,003 in Medellin, rent included.

A couple spends around $665 per month in Rawalpindi vs $1,573 in Medellin, rent included.

A family of three spends $899 per month in Rawalpindi vs $2,143 in Medellin, rent included.

Rawalpindi is about 57% cheaper than Medellin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Rawalpindi and Medellin are more affordable than the global median – Rawalpindi 68% lower, Medellin 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.79 PKR 497

$5.91 COP 18.6K

-69.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.27 PKR 3,959

$32.96 COP 103.8K

-56.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 PKR 1,460

$7.43 COP 23.4K

-29.21%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.60 PKR 445

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.42 PKR 950

Cappuccino

$1.66 PKR 460

$1.65 COP 5,207

0.61%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 PKR 95.5

$1.10 COP 3,468

-69.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 PKR 58.0

$0.78 COP 2,458

-73.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.72 COP 5,412

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.18 COP 10.0K

Milk (1 liter)

$0.79 PKR 219

$1.10 COP 3,474

-28.18%

White Bread (500g)

$0.56 PKR 156

$1.26 COP 3,962

-55.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.30 PKR 361

$1.38 COP 4,349

-5.80%

Eggs

$1.14 PKR 316

$2.18 COP 6,858

-47.71%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.98 PKR 1,660

$4.49 COP 14.1K

33.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 PKR 906

$5.79 COP 18.2K

-43.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.47 PKR 1,240

$8.97 COP 28.2K

-50.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 PKR 283

$2.32 COP 7,308

-56.03%

Banana (1kg)

$0.63 PKR 175

$1.06 COP 3,352

-40.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.84 PKR 233

$1.52 COP 4,774

-44.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.50 PKR 139

$1.36 COP 4,270

-63.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.37 PKR 102

$1.13 COP 3,552

-67.26%

Onion (1kg)

$0.52 PKR 144

$1.17 COP 3,689

-55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.26 PKR 72.8

$0.90 COP 2,838

-71.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 PKR 110

$0.90 COP 2,823

-55.56%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$15.96 PKR 4,429

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.02 PKR 284

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 PKR 658

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.92 PKR 533

$2.23 COP 7,034

-13.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.12 COP 38.2K

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 COP 3,743

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.48 COP 7,815

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.20 PKR 56.6

$0.85 COP 2,687

-76.47%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$9.59 PKR 2,663

$41.62 COP 131.0K

-76.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.85 PKR 235

$1.42 COP 4,459

-40.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 PKR 90.0

$1.95 COP 6,141

-83.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.09 PKR 858

$7.89 COP 24.8K

-60.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.95 PKR 264

$0.99 COP 3,118

-4.04%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$17.5K PKR 4.9M

$17.6K COP 55.4M

-0.54%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$22.9K PKR 6.4M

$26.8K COP 84.4M

-14.55%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$101 PKR 28.0K

$83.0 COP 261.4K

21.37%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$3.96 PKR 1,100

$9.70 COP 30.5K

-59.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.35 PKR 4,537

$23.52 COP 74.1K

-30.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$9.86 PKR 2,736

$25.26 COP 79.5K

-60.97%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.42 PKR 2,060

$19.10 COP 60.1K

-61.15%

Cinema Ticket

$3.57 PKR 990

$3.95 COP 12.4K

-9.62%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$40.97 PKR 11.4K

$316 COP 994.2K

-87.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$963 PKR 267.2K

$5,975 COP 18.8M

-83.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$11.74 PKR 3,258

$60.0 COP 188.9K

-80.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.96 PKR 5,263

$31.82 COP 100.2K

-40.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 PKR 24.9K

$102 COP 320.1K

-11.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$29.12 PKR 8,081

$107 COP 338.3K

-72.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$133 PKR 36.9K

$475 COP 1.5M

-71.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$66.5 PKR 18.5K

$374 COP 1.2M

-82.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$334 PKR 92.8K

$849 COP 2.7M

-60.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 PKR 48.1K

$719 COP 2.3M

-75.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,133 PKR 314.6K

$3,265 COP 10.3M

-65.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$510 PKR 141.6K

$1,441 COP 4.5M

-64.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$176 PKR 48.7K

$624 COP 2.0M

-71.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

20.17

13.43

50.19%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Rawalpindi: July 26, 2026

Last update for Medellin: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $133 in Rawalpindi versus $475 in Medellin. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 256% higher in Medellin, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Rawalpindi versus $33.00 in Medellin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $94.0 vs $193 – making Rawalpindi the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Rawalpindi vs Medellin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Medellin is pricier by about 133%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $646 per month in Rawalpindi and $1,504 in Medellin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Rawalpindi, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $14.00 in Rawalpindi and $33.00 in Medellin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $431 in Rawalpindi and $1,003 in Medellin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Rawalpindi, where all-in costs run around $431, than in Medellin at $1,003. In Rawalpindi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Medellin it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rawalpindi – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Rawalpindi. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Medellin makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.